I have a 98 Jeep Wrangler and have a Teraflex mount behind the tail light on the passenger side. Over the past two months I have had both antennas stolen. This is really a two part question. First, I owned a MFJ-1402 and a Diamond NR770HBNMO and these were the two that were taken. I liked them both as neither gave me any trouble, but was wondering what your opinion is for a replacement, and second, does anyone know of a way to secure these antennas a little better or at least make removing them more troublesome that what it would be worth?

That is probably what I need to do. I just don't understand. I don't live in a place where there are a ton of hams, and they really can't be used for anything else, but who knows? Any advice on a good quality, reasonably priced antenna?

I have a 2012 wrangler with the black soft top. Make a mount from the tire carrier out past the edge of the tire. pick out your favorite 1/2 wave antenna that is black and no one will see it. third jeep no problems

All vertical antennas needs some sort of ground plane directly underneath the antenna.The ground plane for two meters is about 3 feet square.Hence a pizza pie pan is not of sufficient size to work as the ground plane, so a spare tire mount is definitely too small to work efficiently.If you have a soft top the only metal surface left is the hood - eh.Well the problem with the hood is that it picks up the noise from the engine, computers, alternator etc.A Jeep is a tough row to hoe when it comes to transmitting antenna's.None of this is taught anymore so it is a wonder that anyone would even think of putting a 2 meter antenna on a Jeep like that.There is nothing to keep you from painting your antenna with florescent paint or scribing your name someplace on the antenna is there.Once it is stolen there isn't much of any way to prove who stole it.It would be like trying to identify a fishing pole.

What about welding a plate to a roll bar and placing the mag mount atop the plate with the top between the plate and the mag mount. It would not establish a good ground between the two, but it might keep it from being stolen.

Most people probably confuses your antenna with a CB radio antenna, and they probably don't find out that it won't work on 11 meters until after they steal it.Then again, most CB radio people today do not own a SWR meter, so they wouldn't know the difference.

I can offer no help on theft deterrence (save maybe applying grease to the antenna so it's difficult and messy to grip)A comment was made about the spare tire mount being an insufficient ground plane.I chose the spare tire mount by Arizona Rocky Roads,but took two additional steps, thanks to comments on the Jeep boards about the difficulty of a good ground with a tailgate mount:First, all metal to metal surfaces, including bolt threads, I burnished down to bright metal and applied a healthy coat of Anti-Seez compound: Never-Seez and Anti-Seez are both powdered aluminum or powdered bronze in petroleum grease, intended to prevent screw threads from rusting and seizing up. The powdered metal in suspension helps guarantee conductivity between the bare metal surfaces.Second, I took four feet of plated wire a buddy gave me from his wire welder; I bent an eye in its center just the size of the threaded NMO antenna stub; a few minutes' work with pliers and I had three wire arms: with the antenna tightened down on the center eye, a tape measure and careful trimming, I now have two nineteen inch counterpoise arms, one to starboard and one to port, and a third ... more of a finger, about six inches long, pointing straight back.My theory:If a tiger tail enhances an HT antenna by providing a counterpoise, then it just might help my Diamond "no-ground" antenna; nineteen inch arms for 2 meters, the 6 inch arm for 70 cm ... Disclaimer:I am neither an antenna guru, nor am I the brightest bulb in the chandelier. I am just a poor dumb hillbilly with an idea.Your mileage may vary.

I have a 98 Jeep Wrangler and have a Teraflex mount behind the tail light on the passenger side. Over the past two months I have had both antennas stolen. This is really a two part question. First, I owned a MFJ-1402 and a Diamond NR770HBNMO and these were the two that were taken. I liked them both as neither gave me any trouble, but was wondering what your opinion is for a replacement, and second, does anyone know of a way to secure these antennas a little better or at least make removing them more troublesome that what it would be worth?

LeviW5FQZ

I'd get an NMO type mounted antenna from Larsen and get a weather cap also, unscrew it, install weather cap, problem solved. Just a pain to have to remove it all the time. I'm certain someone thinks they are getting a cool CB antenna and cant figure out why their SWR is so high.

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